Liason

National Theater Live: Les Liaisons

In 1782, Choderlos de Laclosâ€™ novel of sex, intrigue and betrayal in pre-revolutionary France scandalised the world. Two hundred years later, Christopher Hampton's irresistible adaptation swept the board, winning the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for Best Play. Josie Rourkeâ€™s revival now marks the playâ€™s thirty year anniversary.

Former lovers, the Marquise de Merteuil and Vicomte de Valmont now compete in games of seduction and revenge. Merteuil incites Valmont to corrupt the innocent Cecile de Volanges before her wedding night but Valmont has targeted the peerlessly virtuous and beautiful Madame de Tourvel. While these merciless aristocrats toy with othersâ€™ hearts and reputations, their own may prove more fragile than they supposed.